Wichita State senior Bailee Nickerson talks about her hometown’s famous monument, learning how to practice the Kristi Bredbenner way and when she saw the potential for big things in 2021. Nickerson started in left field against Auburn in her first college game and rarely left the lineup during her career. She discusses her adjustment to college softball, which former teammate she borrowed her walk-up song from and the similarities between the 2018 Shocker NCAA team and the current edition.
Third baseman Ryleigh Buck and shortstop Sydney McKinney discuss winning the conference title, their walk-up songs and the season’s top defensive plays. McKinney reveals her secret about Hi-Chew candy. They also talk about when they knew the Shockers had something special going and the big summer event in McKinney’s hometown of Norborne, Mo.
Wichita State basketball’s Morris Udeze and Monzy Jackson talk about their first impressions of each other and why Udeze wasn’t sure about Jackson after that pickup game at the YMCA. They talk about their lessons learned in college basketball, how they viewed the sudden end to the season in the NCAA Tournament and their hopes to play in front of big crowds in Koch Arena. Udeze discusses the transfer portal and what he thinks potential transfers might learn from the experience. Jackson details his plans to work on his game in the off-season.
Wichita State forward Ricky Council IV joins the podcast to talk about his strong debut season and what’s next during spring and summer workouts. Council, a 6-foot-6 forward from Durham, N.C., averaged 7.1 points and 3.4 rebounds for the Shockers with a high game of 23 points vs. Cincinnati. He earned a spot on the American Athletic Conference’s all-freshman team. Council reminisces about backyard basketball with his older brothers and describes his affection for Kevin Durant and what the Shockers can learn from their NCAA Tournament experience.
Shockers ESPN+ voice Shane Dennis is on the pod to discuss the Riverfront Stadium experience, how long it might take the Shockers to regain lost fans and the defensive play of Andrew Stewart and Paxton Wallace on the left side of the infield. Shane breaks down Wichita State’s pitching over the past 12 games, Hunter Gibson’s improvement at the plate and how the lack of mid-week games affects the NCAA regional resume.
John Wise is the assistant director of track and field and cross country. He joins the podcast to preview the Wichita State Open, which starts at noon Saturday at Cessna Stadium.
Wise discusses the rising optimism for the outdoor season after the indoor’s uncertainty. He talks about hurdler Joseph Holthusen’s path from lightly recruited high schooler to indoor All-American and Shockers off to a great start to the outdoor season, such as hammer thrower Michael Bryan and the women’s steeplechase crew.
We wrap up by talking about how movies theaters may or may not survive the pandemic, which movie might lure him back to the theater and his “Travel With a Wise Guy” video series on YouTube. Joyland alert!
Wichita State’s Garrett Kocis joins the podcast as the Shockers prepare for American Athletic Conference play with a 12-8 record and a four-game win streak. Kocis, a junior from Omaha, talks about watching the College World Series as a youngster, what he learned from Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm as a freshman and how he dealt with the disappointments of 2019. Kocis, who leads the Shockers with 10 home runs, also discusses his home run derby belt, chatting at first base and his favorite CWS star from his youth.
Wichita State opens American Athletic Conference play this weekend against ECU at Wilkins Stadium. Assistant coach Elizabeth Economon joins the podcast to discuss the team’s 17-4 start, wins over Iowa State and Oklahoma State and the performance of several Shocker freshmen. We talk about Neleigh Herring’s journey to the top of the conference batting list, how coaches can control for work ethic while recruiting and why Economon doesn’t use her two conference MVP’s as Truman State shortstop as a trump card around the softball office.
Wichita State director of athletics Darron Boatright discusses the process of hiring men’s basketball coach Isaac Brown. We talk about how he evaluated Brown, on and off the court, and why he considered it important let things play out over the course of the season. We discuss Brown’s personality, his ability to win on the road and the significance of the win over Houston. Boatright also talks about what he learned about the perception of the job nationally, why coaches at prominent programs inquired and who brought the confetti cannon to Friday’s announcement at practice.
Dr. Brianna Ward is athlete mental health coordinator and staff psychologist at Wichita State, a position she has held since August 2020. Ward discusses how she moved into working with athletes as a career, how Wichita State is helping its student-athletes during these challenging times and the progress on removing the stigma of asking for help. Ward also reveals her favorite college football player and the restaurant she frequents during her short time as a Wichitan.
